The Pittsburgh Steelers officially unveiled their new Hall of Honor museum over at the Acrisure Stadium, set to officially open its doors today (probably right about now, I suppose). It’s largely what you would expect, based on owner Art Rooney II’s brief introduction that he gave yesterday, and the brainchild of Bob Labriola, responsible in a significant way for organizing it all.
One can imagine that there is a substantial section dedicated specifically to the 1970s, the dominant decade during which the Steelers rewrote their narrative from loveable losers to fearsome champions, winning four Super Bowls in a six-year span.
One of the greats of that era, Hall of Fame running back Franco Harris, was also on hand to inaugurate the museum. The Steelers will be retiring his jersey shortly, on the 50th anniversary of the Immaculate Reception. While this is for the team’s Hall of Honor, he also took the opportunity to give a shoutout to a couple of other teammates whom he believes deserve better from posterity.
“Look at this team. 10 Hall of Famers, and we definitely feel that Andy Russell and L.C. Greenwood should be part of that”, he said during his press conference via the team’s website. “But right now we have 10 Hall of Famers from that team, and little did we know when we look back, it was just hard to imagine that something that great, that much fun”.
Harris joins quarterback Terry Bradshaw, wide receivers John Stallworth and Lynn Swann, and center Mike Webster as offensive representatives of the 70s dynasty in the Hall of Fame. The defense boasts defensive tackle Joe Greene, linebackers Jack Ham and Jack Lambert, and defensive backs Mel Blount and Donnie Shell, the latter the most recent addition just a few short years ago.
Greenwood has long had his advocates for the Hall of Fame, with Steelers faithful believing that he has largely been passed over for consideration due to being overshadowed by Green along the defensive line, ‘Mean Joe’ credited with helping those around him play better. But Greenwood’s merits stand on their own.
Russell came before Ham and Lambert at the inside linebacker position and retired in the middle of the dynasty run, a part of only the first two championships, but he was a seven-time Pro Bowler in his own right. His case for the Hall of Fame is harder to make, but he absolutely is rightfully revered in the team’s own Hall of Honor.
